River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-05-26
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondentl
Washington, MAY 10th, 1887

The popular song in Washington to-
day is Jaime lie Militaire. aud ev.
erything is being done at the camp
ground 10 provide for the comfort of
the 'militaire." The National Guards
men began To arrive in the city this
morning The first company To make
its appearance was the Nicksburg
SouthrOns. Then came the Muscatine
Rifles, of Iowa, then the San Antonio
and Belknap Rifles. These companies
from distance, besides a number of
others coming from afar, wanted TO
arrive early in order to have time to
rest from their long journey before the
beginning of the Drill.
The army officers appointed TO be the
Judges in the various competitions of
the Drill have been preparing their
programme, but of course the nature
of the thing makes it improper to pub
lish it now. 1t is similar to a civil
service examination paper, inasmuch
as it must be kept quiet until the time
of the contest. The companies will
not learn from the judges the particu-
lar maneuvers they will be required to
perform until they enter the drill
ground for competition.
AS the day of the grand rendezvous
approaches the excitement increases,
and the hurry and hustle on the camp
field grow greater. Five Thousand
chairs have been placed in position on
the reserved seat section of the
grand stand, and any spectator who
INDUCES in this luxury will pay seven
ty-five cents for it, twenty-five cents
more than will be asked for seats else
where on the stand. Electric light
lamps have been suspended all over the
grounds from tall poles, and indeed
everything seems TO be complete I'M
less it be the absence of caterers
which will not be brought
until during the opening hours. The
caterers. you know, never care to be
much ahead of their customers.
What most attracts the attention of
the casual observer at the drill ground
now is the work in progress upon the
theatre where the naval battle in which
the Merrimac, the Cumberland and
the Monitor played the chief parts, will
be produced in fireworks every night
during the drill. Three days ago the
casual observer might have seen pile
of railroad iron lying on the green in
that division of the drill ground. Two
lays ago he might have watched the
workmen lay down a heavy railroad
with lines curying and crossing each
other in something like the shape of
the figure 8. When the railroad was
the men went to work to
set up an irregular board fence rang
ing in height from five or six feet at
some points TO thirty or forty in 9th
ers. This fence they painted and will
illuminate to appear to the spectators
ON the gTand-stand like a rock bound
seashOIe with sandy beach and the
Hampton ROads-the Confederate ram
Merrimac will make havoc with the
Union feet until the Monitor sails in
and demOlishes her. In daylight and
behind the scenes, all the parapher-
MALTA for this display-bOdts, steering
smoke stacks, cannon, etc. look
like the hollow mockeTy of real things,
Just as they are, but when lit up with
the magic that will be brought to bear
upon the scene, it will probably be the
most realistic fireworks drama ever
given in America.
The Drill is all important to most
persons here now, but TO a few, other
matters seem TO be equally so. The
President has inaugurated summer by
upon the fashionable drive
n high white hat; Recorder of Deeds
TrOtter is well enough 10 be at his
office again; the Government employees
are panic stricken over the new rules
a L.
sion and approved by Mr.. Cleveland,
and the regents of the Mount Vernon
Ladies Association are in secret session
at Washington old home, and are
as they do annually over
the questions that come before them
for attention.
The filling Of vacancies in the board
of regents has occasiOned the ladies no
end of trouble, and seems to be as diff
cult of solution as the tariff question
is to politicians. The requirements of
admission to the charmed circle in
volve SO many things that have to be
closely inquired into and discussed.
that in doing so it causes factions.
Last year this state of affairs existed
to such degree that the cOntending
factions were very strained in their
bearing toward one another.
The question of improving the tomb
of Washington will be considered at
this session. The recent criticism
passed upon the rather dilapldated old
structure by the distinguished English
man. Canon WilberfOrce, when he
visited the spot few weeks ago, has
caused many of the ladies TO agree
with him. He said a marble tomb
should replace the present brick one,
and it would not be surprising if a
resolution should be adopted at this
meeting appealing to the people of the
country for money in that direction.